The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-22

trv. Austria had been weakened. her prestige
IN Germany largely decreased, and oy TINS
timely interference Prussia placed herself In the
position of peace maker. This sklilfui poicy
had also the effect of giving satisfaction to pa
triotic spirits and of causing them to turn their
eyes toward the Prince Regent. who at once be-
came popular not only in Prussia but through
out Germany. Such was the situation of things
when, toward the end of 1860, Frederick Will
lam " departed this life, and the regency came
to an end.
tween the new King and the Prussan Parlia-
ment Wilhelm looked the army as his per
s0nal property, and would not admit that Parha-
ment had any right to even debate the appropri-
ations ash sd g: to keep it up The difference
OF opinion. between the King and his Ministers
on this subject LED him, in Sentember, 1862, to
dismiss them and to intrnst his government to
Count Won Bismarck. The new President of the
Council had also formerly belonged to the
Feudal or Conservative party; while at Frank
fort he had learned to dislike Austria, and while
ut Paris he had seen through the aims and am
btions OF Louis Napoleon. He resolved to turn
those ambitions to the advantage OF his sover-
eign. and commenced his plans by getting the
attention OF his own people drawn away from
domestic politics by centering them on for
egn affairs The conflict. however, lasted
four years ana exceedingly violent
and then the trouble with Denmark about Sches-
wig Holstein arose in the very nick OF time to
give the King and his Minister the excuse they
needed for governing without a Parliament
The King. however did not go into the field dur
iEg that paicn, although, after the capture
of Duppei, he went out to headquarters re-
viewed the troops at Sunderutt, and finally re-
entered Berlin at their head About this time
tie Polish insurrection had brought Russia into
dispute with France and England, both of
whom backed up by Austria; but Bismarck,
by master stroke of diplomacy, entered into
defensive ami offensive alliance with the Gear,
and it was this point of departure which after
4 ward nabled Prussia to successfully crush Aus
tris and France. and to unite Germany under
one sovereign scepter without any interference
On the part of Russia.
But before the final struggle for supremacy
began between Austria and Prussia it nee
essary for the latter country to secure the neu
trality of France, and this was accomplished by
taking Italy an ally and by partly promising
Louis Napoleon that France should not be for
gotten when the division of spells took place.
Before Napoleon III had made up his mind how
much of the left bank of the Rhine he would &C
sept AS natural frontier to his empire the bat
tie of Sadowa was fought and Austria gladly
and quickly made terms as best she could
King William took active part in this six
days campaign. He was present at Gitchen on
the I'd of July. and was also at Sadowa the next
day. Three times on the eventful Sd OF July
mis- officers begged him to permit them to give
orders to retreat. and finally Won Moltke said
the Prussian troops could hold their own for
half an hour more, but not another moment
an army corps commanded by the pres
ant Crown Prince had debouched on
the heights of Chlum, and the fate
OF Europe underwent a change. The Austrians
lost the battle. and on the 30th Of November the
King re-entered his capital at the head of his
victorious army. The lst of January, 1867,
when he celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of
his entrance into the army ne was the chief of
the coufederacy of northern Germany, and had
annexed Hanover. Nassau, Hesse, Frankfort and
Scheswig to the Prussian kingdom No won
der, then. when France asked what she was to
have an the price of her neutrality in tho Aus
trim fair hat KipC iad RI hot he had IN
invincbe repugnance to yielding an inch Of
German soil, but he saw serious objections TO
her taking possession of Belgium. This Louis
Napoleon was about doing when the King
changed his mind and Bismarck informed Bene-
detti, the Emperors ambassador at Berlin that
perhaps France had better get along with the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Thereupon
Napoleon III opened negotiations with Holland
the subject The King Of that country needed
money and readily consented to sell, but wher
the purchase funds were partly paid Bismarck
sent word to Holland that the King of Prussia
would consider any cession of the grand duchy g
casus bei
All this pleased the German people immensely
and proportionately annoyed Frenchmen, but
neither government dared as vet take a holder
step. The policy which the Prussian King and
his Prime Minister were pursuing was go muct
in accordance with national aspirations that the
Reichstag not only did everything that wa
asked oe it, but now urged on the government IL
the very policy which hitherto it had refused t
follow. The King, however, and Bismarck re
fused to be hurried. They preparing TO
the ABSORPTION of Germany into single homo
gereous whole. but they knew very we'll tina
there still existed an obstacle to that unit
which must be got rid Of That obstacle wa
France, and IL necessary to force her to &C
just as it was sure no other natio
would interfere in the struggle Bismarc
began by proposing alliance wit
Austria which was declined; In Italy he wa
more successful. Then he brought about diplc
matte incidents calculated 20 irritate France
The candidacy of Prince Hohenzollern for th
Spanish throne was the final one that left NapC
leon III no alternative but to declare G
face arevolution.
The result of the war Of 1901 is too we
known for it TO be necessary to dwell on 1t now
Suffice it to say that for the third time WilhelI
entered Paris a conqueror; and when he re
entered Berlin at the head of tine army
the 10th of June. in 1871.
longer as King of Prussia. but 6
Emperor of United Germany. That was tn
last campaign in which the man who has no
been eighty years soldier took part Sine
then he has been devoting himself to the perfe
tion of the military force of his empire. Til
most trifiing detail of its armament, or of a IN
form, is as interesting to him are the eener
man9uvres in autumn or the mobilization or a
army corps. He was always fond of compan
inspection and other minor garrison duties, b'
old age forced him. two years ago. to give I
this favorite occupation. To-day the Germs
soldiers the finest in existence, and wht
the venerable monarch dies he say, as d
FREDERICK the treat, line worlO does not re
mere securely on the shoulders of Atlas tia
does Prussia on its army"
There is never any change in the appearan
of the venerable monarch's palace home. -
sleeping room ard Office. at the corner of t.
building that stands in the Inter den Linde
are lit up every evening at the usual hour. al
even when the sovereign is absent these wi
dows are bright with lamps and candles I'M
midnight, just though he were in the capt.;
The room is large one. some eighteen
twenty-five feet square, with wooden waiusct
ing and heavy brown satin hangings. The be
although a very simple one, is no longer the ir
camp bedstead which most of his Geographic
have declared to be his nightly couch; it stan
with the lead to the wall. facing wide, LOT